This patent relates to shower drains. More particularly, this patent relates to a shower drain having adjustable arcuate keepers that engage the underside of the shower floor to hold the drain securely in place.
Shower drains are used to connect the upper end of a shower drainpipe to the shower floor. Shower drains typically comprise a hollow cylindrical plastic body portion and a metal cover grate or strainer. The drain is positioned on the pipe so that the cover grate is flush with the shower floor.
Sesser et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,532 discloses a shower drain replacement device comprising four wings (32) that snug up against the underside of the shower floor upon rotating four screws. While the Sesser replacement drain may be suitable for its intended purpose, the narrow upper surface of the wings provides a relatively small surface area for engaging the underside of the shower floor, which can result in slippage and leaking, especially with thinner lead shower floors. The present invention addresses this potential problem by providing a shower drain having wide, circumferentially disposed, arcuate keepers that snug up against a large surface area of the shower floor underside, providing a secure fit.
Thus a primary object of the present invention is to provide a shower drain having members that engage the underside of the shower floor around substantially the entire circumference of the drain body, thereby minimizing the possibility of leakage between the drain and the floor.
Another object of the invention is to provide a shower drain that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install.
The present invention is a shower drain with arcuate keepers that extend around substantially the full circumference of the drain body and mate with the underside of a shower floor to provide a secure, watertight connection. In one embodiment the drain comprises a plastic body, four arcuate keepers connected by living hinges to form a ring, four pairs of nuts and bolts, and a metal cover grate. The plastic body has a substantially cylindrical downstream portion, a tapered upstream portion, and a flange portion extending outward from the top periphery of the tapered portion. The flange has holes for accommodating the bolts.
Each keeper extends a little less than one quarter of the way around the cylindrical body. Each bolt extends through an opening in the flange and then through an opening in one of the keepers. A nut is threaded onto the end of each screw and brought up inside a similarly configured bore located on the underside of each keeper.
To install, the shower drain is inserted into an opening in the floor of a shower. The bolts are then turned, which causes the keepers to move axially upward until they are snug against the underside of the shower floor. The tapered portion of the shower drain body guides the keepers outward so they make better contact with the shower floor. As each keeper is drawn up the tapered portion of the body, the living hinges spread out, helping guide the keepers up the outside of the tapered body portion. Plumber""s putty or silicone may be applied to the underside of the flange to form a watertight seal between the flange and the shower floor. The shower drain may be used as an original installation item or as a replacement drain.